Switch operating lever



Aug. 9, 1949. T. F. JOHNSON 2,478,276

SWITCH OPERATING LEVER Filed Oct. 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR. Tqmlinson F. Johnson .El E2, 1 I

- I BY MYM Attorneys T. F. JOHNSON SWITCH OPERATING LEVER Filed Oct. 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVE R. 2 Tomhnson F. do on Attorneys Patentecl Aug. 9, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH OPERATING LEVER Tomlinson F. Johnson, Atlanta, Ga.

Application October 14, 1947, Serial No. 779,765

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to high tension electric switches and has more particular reference to handles for operating such switches by remote control.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved switch operating handle having the operating rod pivotally and slidably connected thereto to provide an adjustable throw.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch operating handle as characterized above including means for locking the operating rod in its adjusted position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch operating handle as characterized above including a pivoted lever formed of two elongated flat metal strips secured together at their ends, a sleeve slidably adjustably mounted thereon and to which the operating rod is pivotally connected, and means for wedging and locking the strips within the sleeve to hold the sleeve in adjusted position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following specification when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch operating handle constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the switch operating handle shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view showing one manner of mounting the switch operating handle shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4.

In general the invention comprises an adjustable leverage device particularly adapted for use as a handle for operating high tension electric switches and the like by remote control. High tension electrical switches, either singly or as a group or gang are usually mounted on poles or towers and are opened and closed by means of an elongated and sometimes sectional push-pole or operating rod having its upper end operatively connected to the switch or switches and having its lower end pivotally connected to a pump type handle comprising an arm or lever pivotally mounted on the pole or tower. The handle may be a standard pump type handle, i. e., a lever of the second class or a reversible pump type handle, i. e., a lever of the first class.

Referring now to the drawings, there isshown in Figs. 1 and 2 a preferred embodiment of a switch operating handle constructed in accordance with the present invention. As shown, the switch operating handle comprises an arm or lever l6 formed of two elongated superposed flat metal strips ll, 12 secured together at one of their ends as by means of a bolt and lock nut assembly l3 and at the other of their ends by means of a bolt M which extends through the members and is threaded into a hand-engaging element or handle [5. The lever I0 is provided with means enabling it to be pivotally mounted on a bracket or support with the pivot point located at one end of, or intermediate to the ends of, the assembly.

In the particular embodiment shown, the strips H, l2 are provided intermediate their ends with aligned openings l6, I! through which a short piece of pipe l8 extends and is secured by being welded to one of the strips. The pipe l8 provides a hub by means of which the lever may be pivotally mounted in a manner hereinafter to be described.

An adjustable sleeve [9 is slidably mounted on the lever Ill and may be positioned on either side of the pipe l8 depending on whether the switch operating handle is of the standard or reversible type. In the particular embodiment illustrated the handle is shown as a standard pump type, however, in Fig. 4, the manner in which the sleeve would be mounted for a reversible pump type is shown in phantom.

The sleeve [9 is substantially rectangular in outline and in cross section and is provided with four bosses; a spaced pair 20, 2| located on one side in horizontal alignment with a spaced pair 22, 23 located on the opposite side. The bosses are provided with screw threaded openings 24 for the reception of threaded set screws 25. Preferably and as shown, the set screws 25 are of the type shown and described in my Patent No. 2,274,899 issued March 3, 1942, for Connecting means and each comprises a threaded body portion having the usual non-circular head and a reduced and slightly tapered non-threaded frustro-conical end portion 26 having a biased cut end 21.

The sleeve i9 is slidably adjustably mounted on r the lever l0 and the set screws are employed to hollow tubular member or pipe.

3 leading edge of the bevelled ends to cut a groove in the abutting walls of the strips l I and I2. As the screws advance, the tapered end portions 26 will be forced between the strips, spreading them apart and wedging them inside the sleeve l9 as shown in Fig. 3.

In addition to the wedging of the strips l I and [2 within the sleeve to prevent relative motion therebetween, the tapered end portions 26 are partially embedded in the grooves cut in the opposing walls of the strips thereby positively locking the sleeve on the strips.

The sleeve [9 has an enlarged apertured boss 28 formed integral therewith. A pivot pin 29 is fixedly mounted on the boss 28 and has its outer free end provided with a circumferential groove 30. A collar 31, provided with an ear 32 having an opening 33 therethrough, is pivotally mounted on the sleeve [9 with the pivot pin 29 extending through the opening 33 and retained thereon by lineans of a split washer 34' inserted in the groove '30 on the end of the pivot pin.

' The bottom end of the usual operating rod 35 The operating rod'35 preferably, andas shown, is in the form of a r The set screws 36 and the manner in which they engage the operating rod 35 to lock it in the collar is similar to the construction and operation of the set screws and collar shown in my above-referred to Patent No. 2,274,899.

The lever ii? is adapted to be pivotally mounted on a support, which may be a pole or atower, and with the pivot located at one end of the lever or at a point intermediate of its ends. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the lever is show'nas mounted on a spaced pair offV-shaped brackets 33 which have the ends of'theirdegs secured as by bolting to the legs of-a channel "member 39 which in turn is secured'by' bolting "to asupport '49 which may be a-structural part -of ja tower or a pole. I The vertex or forward end of each *of the v shaped bracket membershas an opening 3! formed therein and has an integral elongated "flat plate :32 formed thereon. The plates lz have spacedopenings 43, 34 formed the'rein'which are in vertical alignment with the opening M. The

'l eve'r L3 is mounted between the bracket members SS with the pipe I8 aligned with the openings' ii formed in the bracket members and a pivot pin 55 having an enlarged 'head ifiextends through the openings 4! in the brackets 38 and through the pipe !8 and is retained in'place as -by means of a split pin.

A locking pin i'i' permanently attached to one of the bracket members asby a chain, may be provided to lock the lever ill when raised to close the switch. The lever then being in a vertical "position and having an opening 58 formed therein aligned with the upper openings 43 formed in the plates 42.

the lever to permit adjustment of the throw of the handle and with locking set screws to positively lock the device in its adjusted position.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof, herein shown and described.

What is claimed is:

i. A handle for operating high tension electric switches andthe like, comprising in combination,

a pivotally mounted lever formed of at least one elongated flat metal strip; a sleeve having an operating member pivotally connected thereto, said sleeve being slidably mounted on said lever intermediate one end thereof and its pivot, WliGl'ebyihB- throw of said operating member may be adjusted; and wedging and locking means carriedby said sleeve, said means including at least one pair of opposing set screws, each of said screws comprising a threaded shank having means for turning it at one end and an integral smooth fru'stro-conical xtension of reduced 'dian'ieter at the other end provided with a biased end portion adapted to cut a groove into the adjacent side wall of said strip, whereby said eX- tension will wedge said strip against the inner spread apart theabutting walls of said strips within said sieeve,thereby wedging said sleeve on said lever; a collar pivotally -mounted on said sleeve; and 'a, switch operating member having one end mounted in said collar.

3. A handle for operating high tension electric switches and the like as set *forth in claim 2,

'wherein'said wedg'ing means'comprises at least one pair of opposing set screws, said screws having reduced plain end portions, positioned to be movedbetween said stripsto spread them apart,

"thereby wedging said sleeve on said strips.

4. A handle for operating high tension electric switches and the like asset forth in claim 2 wherein said'wedging means'includes at least "one pair of opposing set screws, each of said screws comprising a threaded'shank having means for turning it at one end;-and an integral smooth 'frustro-conical 4 diameter at the other end provided 'with a biased end portion adapted -to cut a groove into -the extension of reduced abutting walls of said strips, whereby said eX- tension will spread said strips apart --'to wedge the sleeve on the strips and said hardened-extensions on the end of the'scre'ws will'remain said grooves'to positively-lock said sleeve in its wedged position on said "lever.

'TOMLINSON F. I JOHNSON.

REFERENCES" CITED The following reierenlcesj are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES 'PATENTS Number Name Date 347,836 smart Aug. 24, 1886 418,907 Buckley 'Jan. '7, 1890 445,558 Jantz r "Feb. 3, 1891 2,162,173, 1 Huntington June 13,- 1939 

